Robert Parry, founder and editor at ConsortiumNews, returns to talk about the evidence-free claims of Russian manipulation of 2016 election, and the rise of a new McCarthyism, driven by Democrats who want to bounce Trump.Parry's recent articles on Trump/Russia are here and here.

Parry begins by challenging Hillary Clinton's claim, repeated on 5.31.17, that "17 intelligence agencies" have found that Russia interfered in the election, noting that both James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence and former CIA Director John Brennan have said under oath, that four agencies at most participated.

Applying skepticism and critical thinking, Parry says that no public evidence supports the narratives that have been advanced by anonymous official leaks and claims of "evidence" that we can't see, because it's secret. We talk about the role of the corporate media in promoting the leak-based narrative, while attacking those who demand proof--most recently, Slate's assault on Prof. Stephen Cohen, a respected expert on Russia.

Parry expresses deep concern about the damage being done to journalism, and the role played by the media in the "new McCarthyism" that employs Russophobia, innuendo, and guilt by association in an effort to derail or end the Trump presidency. And he agrees with your humble host that efforts to enforce conformity--by labeling as "conspiracy theories" legitimate questions about the murder of Seth Rich and the possibility that the DNC emails were leaked by an insider--are common in corporate media today.

We also talk about the prospect of a long process of congressional committees and the special counsel, which ultimately may never reveal the truth.